Budew can have one of two Abilities: Natural Cure, which heals any status conditions that it may have become afflicted with; or Poison Point, an Ability that has a 30% chance of poisoning an opponent that uses an attack that requires physical contact against a Pokémon with this Ability, except for another Poison Type or a Steel Type, or a Pokémon that has the Immunity Ability.

A third Ability is available to Budew from the Dream World, the Leaf Guard Ability. This Ability heals all stats problems when the weather is strong sunlight, either due to the Drought Ability or the move Sunny Day.

Budew can evolve into Roselia by the trainer forming a strong bond with the Pokémon and levelling up during the Daytime; known as a Friendship Evolution. It can evolve a second time into Roserade when a Shiny Stone is used on it.

Budew is in the Undiscovered Egg Group, meaning that it cannot breed. A Budew can still hatch from an egg if the parent Roselia or Roserade was holding a Rose Incense while breeding, an Egg that takes approximately 5,120 Steps to hatch. It takes Budew 1,059,860 Experience Points to reach Level 100.

Budew appears at Route 204, 212, Eterna Forest and the Safari Game. Diamond and Pearl. In Platinum, Budew appears at Route 204, the North End of Route 205, Route 208, and Eterna Forest. Budew appears at Ilex Forest and Viridian Forest in Heart Gold and Soul Silver when Sinnoh Sound plays on the Poké Gear's Radio (Thursdays), and in two Safari Zone areas: Rocky Beach and Forest. Rocky Beach requires a placement of 18 Forest Objects, whereas the Forest requires the placement of 24 Plains Objects. In both cases, no waiting in terms of days is required for Budew to appear.